Antenna for an electronic device in a tyre

Abstract

An antenna includes a core and is intended to be integrated into a rubber compound for a tire. The antenna further includes an electromagnetic-signal conduction layer, which is made of copper and coats the core, and a chemical isolation layer, which coats the conduction layer and is intended to chemically isolate the rubber compound from an object coated by the isolation layer.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An antenna intended to be integrated into a rubber compound, the antenna comprising:
 a core; 
 an electromagnetic-signal conduction layer conduction layer made of substantially pure copper and coating the core; 
 a chemical isolation layer coating the conduction layer; and 
 an external adhesion layer that promotes adhesion of the antenna to the rubber compound, the adhesion layer coating the isolation layer, 
 wherein the isolation layer chemically isolates the rubber compound from an object coated by the isolation layer, and 
 wherein the isolation layer is made of a different material from a material constituting the conduction layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the core is made of steel. 
     
     
       3. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the conduction layer coats the core directly. 
     
     
       4. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the isolation layer coats the conduction layer directly. 
     
     
       5. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the isolation layer is made of a substantially pure metal or a metal alloy chosen from: zinc, nickel, tin, and brass. 
     
     
       6. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein a total thickness of the conduction layer is greater than 2 microns. 
     
     
       7. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein a total thickness of the conduction layer is between 4 and 5 microns. 
     
     
       8. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein a total thickness of the isolation layer is greater than 0.2 microns. 
     
     
       9. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein a total thickness of the isolation layer is between 0.4 and 0.6 microns. 
     
     
       10. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the external adhesion layer coats the isolation layer directly. 
     
     
       11. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the external adhesion layer includes a non-metallic adhesive. 
     
     
       12. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the external adhesion layer is made of a substantially pure metal or a metal alloy chosen from: zinc, nickel, and brass. 
     
     
       13. The antenna according to  claim 1 , further comprising a helical portion. 
     
     
       14. The antenna according to  claim 13 , wherein
 an outside diameter of the helical portion is 1.2 mm, and 
 a pitch of the helical portion is 13 turns per centimeter. 
 
     
     
       15. The antenna according to  claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate layer interposed between the core and the conduction layer. 
     
     
       16. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the isolation layer is one of a plurality of chemical isolation layers of the antenna, each isolation layer being made of a metal. 
     
     
       17. An electronic device comprising:
 an electronic member; and 
 at least one antenna connected to the electronic member, each of the at least one antenna including:
 a core, 
 an electromagnetic-signal conduction layer made of substantially pure copper and coating the core, 
 a chemical isolation layer coating the conduction layer, and 
 an external adhesion layer that promotes adhesion of the antenna to the rubber compound, the adhesion layer coating the isolation layer, 
 wherein the isolation layer chemically isolates a rubber compound from at least one object coated by the isolation layer, and 
 wherein the isolation layer is made of a different material from a material constituting the conduction layer. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The electronic device according to  claim 17 , wherein the electronic device is incorporated in a tyre. 
     
     
       19. A process for manufacturing an antenna that includes a core, the antenna being intended to be integrated into a rubber compound, the process comprising:
 coating the core with an electromagnetic-signal conduction layer made of substantially pure copper; 
 coating the conduction layer with a chemical isolation layer that chemically isolates the rubber compound from an object coated by the isolation layer, wherein the isolation layer is made of a different material from a material constituting the conduction layer; and 
 coating the isolation layer with an external adhesion layer that promotes adhesion of the antenna to the rubber compound. 
 
     
     
       20. The process according to  claim 19 ,
 wherein the core has a filiform shape and is coated with the conduction layer and the isolation layer, and 
 wherein the process further comprises, after the coating by the conduction layer and the coating by the isolation layer, plastically deforming at least one portion of the coated core. 
 
     
     
       21. The process according to  claim 19 , further comprising plastically deforming at least one portion of the core before the coating by the conduction layer and the coating by the isolation layer. 
     
     
       22. An antenna intended to be integrated into a rubber compound, the antenna comprising:
 a core; 
 a plurality of electromagnetic-signal conduction layers coating the core, each conduction layer being made of substantially pure copper; and 
 a chemical isolation layer coating the conduction layers; 
 wherein the isolation layer chemically isolates the rubber compound from an object coated by the isolation layer, and 
 wherein the isolation layer is made of a different material from a material constituting any of the conduction layers. 
 
     
     
       23. The antenna according to  claim 22 , further comprising an intermediate layer interposed between the core and an innermost one of the conduction layers. 
     
     
       24. The antenna according to  claim 22 , wherein the isolation layer is one of a plurality of chemical isolation layers of the antenna, each isolation layer being made of a metal.